Collaboration for Innovation Part I:

Radical Collaboration:

This article discusses how IBM is collaborating with allied companies in their microchip division. They are working to develop better technology through "innovation networks" (Hamm). These networks consist of individual researchers, outside companies and IBM scientists. It is important to note that the emphasis has shifted from national alliances to international alliances.

Around 2003, IBM was losing one billion dollars after deciding to invest five billion dollars in their chip set manufacturing department. It was determined that this venture was a failure and many investors had urged IBM to abandon the operation. IBM still saw potential in chip technology and still pursued the the highly profitable business in making powerful server computers. A silver lining was seen around the ominous cloud, but they had to fix something in order to attain success in the leading technology.

John Kelly, head of the semiconductor division, "summoned 10 executives to IBM's chip factory in East Fishkill, N.Y." (Hamm). He stated that IBM had to broaden its horizons by establishing alliances with IBM scientists. They needed to find a way to improve manufacturing, chip designs and overall relationships with several key allies. However, much of his effort was met with an equal amount of resistance from his people.

Spatial Characteristics of joint application networks in Japanese patents:

IBM learned that through networking, ideas were formed and manufacturing became more efficient. They came up with the motto for the 21st Century, "network, or die." (Hamm). They needed to develop race relations and during the 1990's, things didn't go so smoothly. They learned to adapt to cultural differences through face-to-face collaboration. One example is with Mukesh Khare, a project manager, who stated that "typically in group discussions, Toshiba engineers will say "yes" to signal they understand a proposal--not necessarily that they agree. Later, he'll circle back to them and find out what they really think." (Hiroyasu)


Hamm, Steve. "Radical Collaboration." Business Week 10 Sept. 2007: 16-22. Ebscohost. EBSCO. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison. 2 Oct. 2007.


Inoue, Hiroyasu, Wataru Souma, and Schumpeter Tamada. "Spatial Characteristics of Joint Application Networks in Japanese Patents." Physics A 383 (2007): 152-157. Ebscohost. EBSCO. Karl E. Mundt Library, Madison. 2 Oct. 2007.